I join the army of those who didn't like the hair and I think worse than wearing her hair down is the fact that she decided to part it in 3 parts and the part she left on her back being much smaller than the 2 she put to the front, this always gives a bad posture and this time also hid the necklace.

Right on the spot! Let her keep her hair long but just let it fall behind her shoulders. Tatiana Santo Domingo and the Duchess do exactly the same thing: put their hair covering the sides of their faces.

I prefer her hair down; long hair in an updo usually makes a woman look older, imo.

Kate is over 30. It's time she looked older, i.e. looked her age.

I think the early 30s are fabulous years in a person's life. A woman is mature enough to be wearing grown-up clothes, but still youthful and her bits haven't started to sag. A woman in her early 30s should have grown out of the girlish manners and clothing choices she could still get away with in her 20s. I'm not saying for one moment Kate should cut her hair or not wear it down for casual occasions, but this elegant midnight blue gown and Kate's attractive tan (though she needs to take care in the sun - closeups show that there are some crepey bits forming in the throat/decolletage area) provided the perfect setting to display that impressive piece of serious diamond jewellery, yet the fabulous bauble was hidden under that curtain of hair.

Kate is a good-looking woman. With a bit of attention to detail she could be stunning.

__________________"That's it then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, -- and call off Christmas!!!"

I prefer her hair down; long hair in an updo usually makes a woman look older, imo.
(Look at Princess Anne, for example; she's always worn an updo and people often complain about it looking dated).

Beatrice and all the other women wore their hair down; no one is criticizing them.

I agree. I prefer her hair down too. Although I do like her updos.

I've never understood the notion that women in their 30's or 40's should have shorter hair or that long hair looks girlish. Not everyone can pull off short hair and lots of women just prefer their hair longer.

It's not like Kate shuns updos, she's worn quite a few them. She just happens to prefer her hair down.

I very seldom criticize women who are younger, taller, slimmer, prettier, richer, and better dressed than I am. And who also have a more fabulous head of hair than I do.

C'mon! They're fair game. If you can't criticise them, who can you criticise? You certainly can't have a go at people who are in your own situation and it's poor form to criticise those who are worse off.

__________________"That's it then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, -- and call off Christmas!!!"

Love that comment!
I for one have never thought she has great hair and I'm always puzzled when people say how great hers is and envy it. I guess compared to some women, like her own mother Carole, who have thin hair it's an improvement.
As an earlier poster said, both she and tatiana santo domingo wear their hair hanging over their cheeks, which is why tatiana looked so great with her tiara hair last week, we could see her face!
As far as the gown, it screams summer to me. What about a rich velvet with some sort of sleeve in the depths of winter?
Do whole heartedly agree that the BRF was lucky to get Kate, but, if you have the responsibilty to wear such a major piece of jewelry, you need to give it the right backdrop, not wear it with jeans or messy hair.

I think the Duchess of Cambridge is a beautiful woman, and separately, each of the elements of her look were lovely. It doesn't matter if it was a black tie affair or not, if you wear a necklace with jewels that substantial, the rest of the outfit needs to complement that. The gown is lovely and works fairly well with the necklace. The hair works 'ok' with the gown, but absolutely does not work with the necklace. If you are wearing jewelry of that caliber, the hair should be styled to show it off, not hide it with hair looking almost stringy hanging down. An updo would be nice, but even hair styled nicely and hanging behind her shoulders, would be an improvement. IMHO

I have lost count of the number of times she has buried some really elegant gown under her curtain of hair and as to her jewellery . . . well it's best guess territory.

Ah, I see what you mean but, had she shortened the gown a little to show her shoes and dressed her hair in a flattering updo showcasing those wonderful jewels, added a wonderfully frivolous evening clutch andI think she would have had a whole new look.

OK, this one is the real kicker. With her masses of bedroom hair and no finishing accessories she looks like she ran out during a fire alarm and didn't quite finish dressing. She could have looked so elegant but . . .

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Just a couple additional thoughts: the missing evening clutch is so obvious because in most photos she appears like she does not know what to do with her hands . . . ., and also I notice she lacks good posture, so important to elegance. So the wonderful jewels will not shine much . . . maybe in time she'll get it

Interesting, every article I've read said it was black tie, all of the men pictured (except for the photographer and the cross dresser) wore black tie and all of the women I've seen photos of wore long evening dresses (except Beatrice.)Kate Middleton Wears Queen's Jewels To Gala (PICTURES)

(Exactly which royal princess has more elegance and regal bearing? Anne? The York girls? I don't think so!)

The need to denigrate other royal ladies to make your argument in favor of your favorite makes me think you have a weak argument. Plus, I like Catherine but I'll take Princess Anne against all comers. Royal elegance isn't just having pretty hair and dressing nice. It's work ethic, commanding a room with your presence and self-assurednes and self-awareness and committment to things other than oneself. Anne has these things in abundance and Catherine has yet to demonstrate these traits IMO. I get it Catherine is the pretty young thing who looks lovely in a pretty dress but that doesn't necessarily equate to "royal" elegance. IMO she's on her way but she not yet there.